


I Don't Care Who Sees

by complicationstoo



Series: Ice Prince [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Hockey Player Steve Rogers, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, Team Owner Tony Stark, discussions of coming out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23380102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/complicationstoo/pseuds/complicationstoo
Summary: “You’re sure about this?” Tony asks again. It’s at least the fifth time this morning alone, but probably the thousandth since Steve first decided on coming out.“I’m sure,” Steve tells him. They’re on the couch in the living room of Tony’s penthouse, and Steve puts his phone down on the armrest to pull Tony into his arms. “I want to come out, and this is how I want to do it. The statement is perfect. Everyone’s checked it and tweaked it about a million times now. Even Pepper approved it, and I’ve got the entire team and organization’s support for it.”
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Ice Prince [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592455
Comments: 9
Kudos: 164





	I Don't Care Who Sees

**Author's Note:**

> Some people requested Steve coming out to the world, so here it is! 
> 
> Work title is I Don't Care Who Sees by Devin Dawson.

“You’re sure about this?” Tony asks again. It’s at least the fifth time this morning alone, but probably the thousandth since Steve first decided on coming out. 

“I’m sure,” Steve tells him. They’re on the couch in the living room of Tony’s penthouse, and Steve puts his phone down on the armrest to pull Tony into his arms. “I want to come out, and this is how I want to do it. The statement is perfect. Everyone’s checked it and tweaked it about a million times now. Even Pepper approved it, and I’ve got the entire team and organization’s support for it.”

Tony burrows further into Steve’s embrace, all but sitting in his lap now. “Doesn’t mean you can’t be unsure or change your mind about it.”

“Tony,” Steve sighs, running his hand down Tony’s back. “I want to do this. I know it’s not going to be easy, and there’s going to be some people who hate it, but it’s time. What are you so worried about, doll? Do you want me to change my mind?”

Tony shakes his head. Taking Steve’s hand into his own, he fiddles with Steve’s fingers in what Steve can guess is a distraction - somewhere for him to look while he figures out his own thoughts. Steve lets him take as long as he needs to sort it out. 

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to come out,” Tony finally says. He holds Steve’s hand more firmly and looks up. “I know we’ve talked about it a lot, and I know that you want to do it, but do you, though? Would you even be doing this if it wasn’t for me?”

Steve is completely honest as he answers, “No, I wouldn’t be doing this. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t be putting this statement out, and I would’ve never told the team about it, either. But that doesn’t mean I want to do it any less. It just means that I finally have something that makes the risk worth it. And before you can even say that you might not be worth it, let me tell you that you are.  _ We  _ are.” 

Tony doesn’t seem to be quite convinced yet, and his tone is almost challenging as he questions, “And if we break up next week? You won’t regret it all then?”

“First of all, why the hell are we breaking up next week?” Steve asks in return. He isn’t upset by the suggestion, recognizing it for what it is. If Tony needs the reassurance right now, then he’ll give it to him.

Tony throws his hands in the air, voice growing louder, “I don’t know, Steve. Things happen. People realize that other people are more trouble than they’re worth.”

Now  _ that  _ is concerning, Steve thinks. He holds Tony tighter, eliminating every inch of space between them. Kissing the top of Tony’s head, he says, “Do you remember a few months ago when you came over to my place? It was about a week after our first date, and you were freaking out about everything that could go wrong with us.”

“Of course I remember that,” Tony sighs. Wrapping his arm around Steve’s torso, he continues, “It was one of my all time greatest freak outs.”

“It was pretty good,” Steve agrees. “You told me that you have a tendency to push people away, and I know that’s what you’re doing right now. You’re afraid of this not working out, and maybe more than a little afraid that I’m going to walk away. But I told you then and I’m telling you again now that that’s not going to happen. I love you, Tony. No matter how this goes, that’s not going to change. If it’s terrible and people hate it, that doesn’t mean I’m going to hate you. And if for some reason we do break up, I know I’ll still be glad I did this.”

Tony tucks his chin, pressing his nose into Steve’s neck. Steve reflexively tightens his grip again, and he runs his hand through Tony’s hair.

Tony doesn’t say anything, and Steve keeps talking, “You’re not making me do this. I don’t feel like I’m obligated to come out. I want to come out so I can hold your hand in public, and I can kiss you without looking over my shoulder first. I want to be able to do everything that every other couple can do.”

“You remember what else I told you during that freak out?” Tony asks.

Steve remembers all of it, but he says anyway, “What else did you tell me?”

“I told you that the media isn’t going to like us together. They’re going to turn it into something it’s not, and they’re going to pull up every mistake I’ve ever made. They’ll probably say something about how I corrupted you or spin some bullshit story with bullshit sources about how I abused my position to get you. I told you that my reputation drags everyone around me down, and,” Tony stops suddenly and sounds sad when he continues, “I don’t think I could take it if that happened to you. You’re too - you’re too good for that, Steve. I don’t want to drag you down.”

Steve pauses to think for a moment. He understands the concern, and it isn’t the first time he’s thought about it, either. But he always comes to the same conclusion. 

“I don’t care about that,” he says firmly. 

Tony pulls back to look at Steve’s face, eyebrows knit together. “You should.”

“Why?” Steve questions. “Why should I give a damn what everyone else has to say about us? I know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about me. I don’t care about all the rest. My reputation, at least in that sense, doesn’t matter to me. They can say whatever they want about that. It’s not going to change who I am or how I play. The reputation I have in the game, that’s the one I care about. The rest is… I don’t know. Details, I guess.”

Tony keeps looking at him, eyes searching as if he’s trying to see how sincere Steve is about it. He must find what he’s looking for, because he sighs and drops his head back down to Steve’s shoulder. His hand tightens on Steve’s waist, thumb stroking his side through his shirt.

“Okay,” he says eventually.

“Okay?” Steve laughs. “After all of that? Just okay?”

Tony nods, “Yeah. If you want this and you’re ready for it, then okay.”

“You want this too, right?” Steve double checks. “I can come out without us going public if you want to wait.”

“No, I - I want this. You should post the statement.”

Steve reaches for his phone and opens his Twitter page. He’ll post the statement everywhere, and the organization will respond with a supportive statement of their own. He already knows how vocal his friends will be with their support, too. Bucky’s already prepared to fight anyone that has an issue with it. He said as much at their last team meeting, and Steve’s grateful that at the very least he has the support of his teammates. He doesn’t know what he would have done without that. 

He inserts the photo of the statement into the Tweet, adds the #HockeyIsForEveryone, and sends it before he can second guess it. He does the same on Instagram, then Facebook, and when he’s done he tosses the phone onto the empty couch cushions next to them. 

“So,” Steve says slowly. He looks down at Tony and smiles, “What should we do now?”

Tony laughs as Steve’s phone starts going off with notifications almost immediately, “Shouldn’t you be looking at those?”

Steve shrugs, “Maybe later.”

“Do you know how many requests for interviews you’re about to get?” Tony asks, but unlike before, he sounds amused by it, rather than worried. 

“Oh, God,” Steve groans. He’d forgotten about that detail. 

“So that’s where we draw the line?” Tony grins. “All the speculation and rumors are fine, but the second a reporter calls for an interview you’re done?”

“Yes.”

“But I bet you’d give a really great inspirational speech about it,” Tony teases. “So many motivating quotes about being yourself and having strong values.”

“I’d give a fantastic speech about it,” Steve agrees with a laugh. “But I’d much rather enjoy my summer off with you instead of explaining my life choices to everyone who asks.”

Tony hums and adjusts his position on Steve’s lap, knees on either side of Steve’s thighs. He wraps his arms around Steve’s neck and lowers himself for a kiss.

“We should get started on that right away then,” Tony murmurs. 

The phone next to them starts to ring, and Tony huffs as he reaches for it. He turns it off without glancing at the screen. Throwing it back to the side, he leans in to kiss Steve’s neck. 

“We’re good, right?” Steve asks, hands settling on Tony’s hips. “Everything’s good?”

Tony brushes his thumb across Steve’s cheek, pulling back enough to meet his eyes. The affection in Tony’s dark eyes is almost overwhelming. 

“Everything’s perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> For those that don't know, the #HockeyIsForEveryone is a very real campaign for support for equality in hockey!


End file.
